Table 1 Farmers’ soil types and perceived soil characteristics in studied districts of Wolaita Zone, southern Ethiopia.
Local soil typesa | Approximate connotation | Indicators | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Land unit | Soil colorb | Fertility | Workability | Permeability | ||
Arrada bita | Fertile soil | GL | Brown (42%) > reddish brown (20%) > dark reddish brown (17%) > gray (7%), other brownish | Medium–high | Easy to moderate | Optimum |
Lada bita | Infertile soil | GL to HL | Brown = dark reddish brown (30% each), reddish brown (24%), yellowish brown (4%) | Low | Moderate | Moderate–high |
Gobo bita | Highly permeable soil | GL | Dark reddish brown (42%) > reddish brown (32%) > brown (20%) | Low > medium | Moderate | High |
Talla bita | Sticky soil | GL to HL | Brown = dark reddish brown (34% each), reddish brown (11%), gray (8%) | Low–medium | Difficult to work (sticky when wet and strong when dry) | Low–moderate |
Zo’o bita | Red soil | GL to HL | Dark reddish brown (45%) > reddish brown (36%) > brown (11%) | Low > medium | Moderate | Moderate–high |
Chere bita | High-water-retaining soil | FL | Gray (55%), grayish brown (17%), brown (15%), other gray to brownish | Medium | Difficult to work (when wet) | Low (water-retaining soil) |
Kereta bita | Black soil | FL to GL | Brown (44%) > reddish brown (19%), grayish brown = gray (11%), dark gray = dark reddish brown (7.4%) | Medium–high | Difficult to work (when dry and wet) | Moderate |
Barta bita | Soil on stony and eroded land | HL | Brown > pinkish brown = very dark gray | Low | Moderate | High |
Akiaka bita | A field having both infertile and permeable soils | HL | Brown | Medium | Moderate | High |
Allo bita | Soil on newly fallowed land | HL | Grayish brown | Low | Moderate | High |
Dubule bita | Infertile and permeable soil | GL to HL | Brown | Low | Moderate | High |
Goshe bita | Infertile soil on sloppy area | HL | Brown | Very low | Moderate | Moderate |